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N. B. WALES. CLOSURE CAP FOR BOTTLES AND JARS.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 7. I9T9.

Patented Dec. 30', 1919.

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'NATHANIEL B. WALES, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 RICHARD D. WARD, or

NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLOSURE-CAP FOR BOTTLES AND JARS.

izasis.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

p Application filed July 7, 1919. Serial No. 309,048.

To all whom t may concern:

Ile it known that I, NATHANIEL B. WALES, a citizen of' the United? States, residing at New York,` in the county of New York and State ot' New York,-have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closure' Caps for Bottles and. Jars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to closure caps for bottles, jars and similar containers which are provided with a groove or rim to be engaged by retaining members on the cap, my main purpose being to provide a cover which may be readily applied or removed by pressure ot' the fingers against the sides of the cap without the use of' any implements.

It has heretofore been proposed to pro vide bottle closures with flexible depending flanges which encircle the neck of the bottle and are provided with retaining devices and projecting lugs thatmay he pulled outwardly to strain .the metal of', the flange sufficiently to disengage the retaining devices. Such prior devices require the metal to be actually bent outwardly with relation to the top disk portion which is difficult to accomplish as the integral disk prevents any yielding movement of the base or top margin of the flange.

My closure cap comprises a skeleton ring or annular flange member with an open center which permits of bodily distortion upon the axis passing through the retaining or clamping members. I am thereby enabled to secure a greater lateral movement of the retaining devices with less effort and with a greater range of movement.

For the purpose of explaining my invention, I shall refer to the accompanying drawings, in wliichFigures 1 and 2 are side elevations of a jar provided with my closure cap; Figs. 3, and 4 are vertical sections on the line Ae- A of Fig. 2 showing the cap in locked and unlocked positions respectively; Figs. 5 and '6 are transverse sectional views of the cap on the line B-B of Fig. l; sho-W- ing respectively the normal and distorted positions; Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views of a modified form; Fig. 9 is avertical sectional view of a jar provided with the cap shown in Figs. 7 and 8, -in the distorted or unlocked position; Fig. 10 is a top plan view'of the cap shown in Fig. l; Fig. 11 is a top plan view of another modification;

and Fig. 12 is a plan view of the blank from which the cap of Fig. 11 is formed.

he clamping ring which constitutes' the skeleton frame of' my closure cap is circular in normal outline in the form shown in all ot' the figures except the modification illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9 wherein it is normally elliptical. The flange portion 2 is slightly larger than the mouth of' the jar or bottle 4 to permit a lateral inward movement upon one diameter sufficient to disengage the locking members 6 which project inwardly from the lower` edge of the flangel or skirt portion 2, and are inclined at an appropriate `angle to enter the groove or recess 7 in the neck of' the bottle or jar.

In the circular form the locking tongues or lugs 6 are in .their inner locking position illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 and 5, when the perimeter of' the skeleton frame is circular. By pressing with the thumb and finger upon opposite sides of the flange 2, at right angles to the axis of the tongues 6, the skeleton frame is bodily distorted from the circular outline shown in dotted `lines in Fig. 6, to the ova-te form indicated in full lines, thereby causing the tongues to move outwardly until they are disengaged from the groove or ledge 7 and occupy the position shown in Fig. 4. The cap can then be removed from the jar or bottle.

The modification shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is operated in the same manner. In the norma-l locked position the skeleton frame is elliptical with the tongues located on the short-er axis. By pressing inwardly against the sides at the longer axis the frame is distorted from the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 8, to the full line position, thereby moving the locking tongues 6 outwardly into the position shown in Fig. 9.

In order to positively control the distortional movement when lateral pressure is exerted, I provide means for causing the frame, to bestifi'er at right angles to the axis of the locking tongues to concentrate the stresses at points adjacent the tongues and thereby produce a greater movement of the tongues. This feature is quite important since I am thus able to secure the requisite unlocking movement with acomparatively small clearance space between the jar and the flange. In the form shown in Fig. 10, I have stiffened theskeleton ring frame progressively from the ends carrying thev lill axis coincident with the axis ot' the tongues, the central opening of the skeleton trame being ovate or elliptical.

In the form shown in Fig. 11, I accomplish the same purpose with a top flange of circular form by slotting the flange at the tongue ends and upon either side thereof, while leaving larger sections 8 at right angles thereto nnslotted. The distortion can readily be controlled by the arrangement ot' the slots. Fig. 12 shows the form of the cut blank ot' the skeleton frame bet'ore the lateral flange or skirt portion 2 has been bent down and the tongues or locking lugs 6 have been turned inwardly.

The cap is completed and closed by means of a disk 10 which is held between the top flange 8 and the inner sides ot the ring flange or skirt 2, adjacent the tongues (i. This disk may be constructed of paral'lined paper, mica, Celluloid, glass, or other suitable material and when transparent permits the contents ot' the bottle or jar to be inspected. When the cap is itted over the neck of the bottle or jar, the disk is tightly clamped between the mouth of the jar and the top flange 8, and held under tension by the action of the spring tongues thereby elfectively sealing the contents of the jar.

The advantages ot' my closure cap, aside from simplicity of construction, will be appreciated by those who have had experience With removable closure caps. There are no projecting lugs, the frame presenting a smooth contour. It is not necessary to pry any portion loose by means of' an implement. The unlocking movement is elfected by a pressure easily exerted by the thumb and linger and the direction of the distortion is controlled by the structure of the skeleton frame, to accentuate the movement of the portions carrying the tongues. The cap is not liable to be accidentally unlocked, thereby destroying the seal of the jar as in the case of those in which the unlocking is eti fectedy by a downward pressure upon the top. The contents of the jar or container may be readily inspected Vthrough the transparent Sealing. disk.

l claim l. A skeleton closure cap t'or bottles or jars provided with a beaded or grooved neck, comprising a resilient metal ring or band adapted to surround said neck and havingv oppositely disposed tongues projecting inwardly from its lower edge to engage the groove, and an annular flange extending` inwardly from its upper margin, said flange having a greater width upon a diameter perpendicular to the diameter passing through the tongues.

'2. A skeleton closure 'ap for bottles or jars provided with a beaded or grooved neck, comprising a resilient metal ring or band adapted to surround said neck and having oppositelyy disposed tongues projecting inwardly Jrom its lower edge to engage the groove, and an annular flange extending inwardly Jfrom its upper margin, said flange being more resilient on the diameter passing through the tongues than upon other diameters.

A closure cap as defined in claim 2 wherein the flange is strengthened progressively from the axis passing through the tongues to the. diameter perpendicular thereto.

4. A closure cap as defined in claim 2, and a separable disk inclosed within the ring and bearing against the under side ot' the annular flange.

A closure cap for containers such as bottles or jars, comprising a resilient ring or band adapted to surround the neck ot' the container, and provided with locking devices upon opposite sides, the cap having a greater rigidity and resist-ance to bending strains or pressure at opposite. points on a diameter at. right angles to the axis of said locking devices.

G. A closure cap for containers such as bottles or jars, comprising a resilient ring or band adapted to surround the neck of the container. and provided with locking devices upon opposite sides, the rigidity of the ring` increasing progressively from points adjacent the locking devices to points on a diameter at right angles to the axis of said devices.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

NATHANIEL B. VALES.

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